I've searched the forum and found a few things. I'm trying to start my van, which ran fine not long ago, but will now not start, I just get a clicking noise. The battery is fairly new, bought it 09-2013, and even though I charged it up to make sure, it's holding 12.3V just fine.

I tried tracking down the starter and removed the engine cowling. I think I have located it directly under the drivers seat under the van? At least that's where I traced the battery cable to. Are there any pictures or YouTube videos anywhere? I want to be sure I'm dealing with the right part. Also I tried starting in neutral to no avail, so I don't think it's the neutral kill switch.

I understand there are other relays involved, where might those relays be? I had thought it might be a loose connection, but I haven't found one so far.

Thanks in advance to the power of the forum!

 

So I removed the starter and had it tested today, and it tested fine. My battery tests fine as well. I guess the only other things it could be is a dead starter relay or ignition relay?

 

These types of problems are usually traced to a bad battery connection, bad battery cable (Positive or ground), bad ground connection or bad/weak battery. Have you tried starting using jumper cables from another vehicle battery ? Do you know what exactly is "clicking" ? Sometimes a hung starter solenoid will cause clicking. Banging the starter with a hammer a couple of times to release the solenoid gear from the flywheel is a temporary fix.

Item num 2: If you have a 96 Ram van, I suggest you search EBAY for a factory repair manual, or a least a Chilton or Haynes repair manual of some kind.

 

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I was at O'Rielly's yesterday and they had a sale on Chilton's, but they didn't have one for my year. I was thinking the same thing, may be something in the wiring. I have an alarm system in place as well as a battery override system that shuts everything down if the lights are left on, etc. I would like to pull some of that extra wiring out to eliminate any problems with shorting, etc.

The battery is fine and holds a charge, and I've put a charger on the system and tried starting it that way. I have plenty of amps going to try and start the van, but something is clicking, and to be honest I'm not sure "what" is clicking. I removed the engine cowling, and when I cranked it, it really sounded like the clicking was coming from the passenger side of the van, whereas the starter is right under the drivers seat.

Even though my starter tested good, I went ahead and got a new starter. I did not have enough ground clearance to get in there with a hammer to try and free up the brushes. I still need to get an adequate floor jack, so no way to create the clearance I need, and the starter is in just an awkward place to begin with. I think that after removing the starter and throwing it on my Harley Davidson and running up to the parts store, I may have freed up the brushes

Thanks for the input, I'll keep the thread posted once I get the new starter in today.

 

OK, I got the starter replaced, and now it won't even click. Just completely dead, except you can slightly hear it try to engage down by the starter. When I test voltage at the starter I'm getting 12.5v. When I engage the ignition switch and jump across the starter it sparks, but does nothing. You can hear the sounds of a motor trying to engage, but failing, no loud clicks of any kind.

I tested all the fuses with an ohmmeter and they all test fine. I have an alarm system on the van as well as a battery override switch. The override switch kills everything when the lights are left on, for instance. Then you see a flashing red led inside the van, hit that and your power is back. The alarm seems to work as well, I engaged and disengaged it with the remote. I did pull the fuse responsible for the alarm and tried starting with no luck, as expected.

Might this be a problem with the alarm system giving a false positive, and disabling starting? Or might it be a problem with the ignition switch somehow? I think I've ruled out bad battery (more than likely, battery purchased on 09/13), wiring to the starter (with the big questions above) and the starter itself (unless there was a replacement procedure I didn't follow?). That's still a lot of second guessing I guess, but I'm starting to think about other problems being at play here now...

 

Ok, let's try just taking the starter off, leave all the wires connected, and let it rest on a block of wood or concrete or something to take the strain off the wires, then hit the ignition just momentarily and see what happens. DO NOT try to hold the starter ! We just need to know if it will spin up, then that should eliminate relays, alarms, ignition switch, flashing red lights, and most all the other electrical stuff, and points to a mechanical problem - like maybe a seized up engine. You indicated you haven't driven this van in a while. Did it freeze anytime up there in Washington state this winter ???

 

Uhhhh - by the way, if your jacking this car up, I hope you're using jack stands while you're monkeying around under there.

 

When the starter is engaged the voltage should drop down to 10-11 volts due to the starter motor load. Since that isn't happening then you are not getting power to the motor. This could be a loss of ground issue.

 

Thanks for all the tips guys. I do not have it jacked up at all, I'm just skinny . Very good idea to take the starter out and make sure that cranking it will spin up the motor. That will eliminate all electrical issues including the battery override circuit and alarm. I'm afraid it's going to spin up, and I have a seized engine . It's been pouring rain lately, so I will have to wait until it dries up around here to crawl under again.

 

I have not tested the voltage under load, only in an idle position.